Alternative forms of farming in India

Generally, farmers practise conventional system of farming with the help of fertilizers, pesticides and other inputs to meet increasing demand for foodgrains. But the excessive use of these agrochemicals hampers the ecological balance and causes health hazards. Therefore, conventional farming system is harmful in maintaining sustainable living and thereby creates a need of alternative farming system. Alternative farming refers to the alternative forms of farming system. It goes beyond the conventional farming system at the same time; it incorporates the farms’ natural cycles, biological interactions while maintaining environmental balance. This form of farming system includes contract farming, organic farming, corporate farming, sea farming, dryland farming, shifting / jhum farming, permaculture, peri-urban agriculture and aquaculture, livestock farming, integrated farming, precision farming, alder based farming system etc. With this background, this book tries to focus the alternative forms of farming for sustainable agricultural practices in the Indian context. The book also studies these alternative forms of farming adopted by farmers and the Indian experiences derived in such farming.